


Technicalities

by yourdykeinshiningarmor



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mind Meld
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-08
Updated: 2015-09-08
Packaged: 2018-04-19 16:51:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4753814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourdykeinshiningarmor/pseuds/yourdykeinshiningarmor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kirk is his normal, reckless self on an away mission. Sometimes he forgets about how those that care about him might feel about that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Technicalities

Jim sighed as the softness of the mattress enveloped him. He really should change out of his uniform and take a shower, but, frankly, he was too tired. The away mission had only lasted two days (the Klingons never made anything easy, did they?), but it seemed like ages since he’d last been here. He supposed an attempt on your life (well technically two... ok three... but who was he to care about those kinds of details), a mad run for freedom, and a long, exhausting debriefing with Starfleet Command could turn hours into days and days into months.

Just as he felt his conscious starting to drift, the door chimed signalling a visitor. He stayed motionless on the bed, half hoping it was a figment of his imagination, the other half hoping it was real. The door chimed a second time.

Reluctantly, Jim rose from the bed, an involuntary moan leaving his lips, and walked to the door. He pressed the button, the door opening just as his visitor was raising his hand to chime again.

“Captain, I…”

“To what, Commander Spock, do I owe a visit at…” Jim glanced back over his shoulder to the clock on on the wall, “at twenty-three hundred hours?” He couldn’t help the smile that danced at the corners of his lips.

“Twenty-three thirteen, Captain, and you know why.” Spock’s gaze drilled into Jim.

“Technicalities,” Jim replied, turning around and walking back into the room, knowing the Commander would follow.

Spock waited until the doors swished shut. “Like the three attempts on your life.”

Jim winced; his hand fell to the table from where he’d been about to turn up the lights from the dim safety glow currently permeating the room. Leave it to Spock to pick up the details left out of the generalities. “Yes, technically.” He felt Spock ghost up behind him but didn't turn to see him. Couldn’t. He couldn’t bear to see the fear, the pain, the unnecessary sadness the would be pouring from deep within Spock. The man may have been raised a Vulcan, but years amongst humans had softened the edges of Vulcan disciple, at least when it came to him. A hand on his wrist pulled him from his thoughts.

“Jim.” Spock’s voice was hardly above a whisper. He tugged gently on the fabric, urging Jim to turn. “Please.”

Something inside Jim broke, hearing the pain, hearing the need for comfort in Spock’s voice, and he turned. No sooner was he facing Spock, when he was pulled into a tight embrace, Spock’s face pressed firmly into the crook of Jim’s neck. Jim lifted his own arms and squeezed Spock impossibly closer to him, inhaling the unique Vulcan scent. He felt a calm settle over him.

Neither felt the need to move for several minutes, each relishing in the closeness of the other. When, by unspoken agreement, they finally separated, it was only far enough for their foreheads to come together.

“I was afraid,” Spock whispered. “Statistically, you should no longer be among the living, and yet—”

“Shhh,” Jim interrupted and pressed a chaste kiss to Spock’s dry lips, surprised when he felt a trail of wetness along Spock’s cheek.

Spock pulled away and turned partway towards the door. “I am sorry, Captain.” He refused to acknowledge the tears by wiping them away, instead leaving the evidence to dry upon his skin. “Perhaps, I should—”

“Spock.” Jim said his name with such reverence. “I’ve seen you far more emotional than this.” He took a step towards Spock, knowing what would calm them both, and grasped his hand. “Come.”

Spock let Jim lead him towards the bed but they stopped at the edge. The stood staring at each other for a moment, neither making the next move. Jim finally began to undress, clothes tossed haphazardly to the side, leaving just his underwear on. As he watched, Spock finally understood what he was doing. Jim climbed onto the center of the bed, as Spock removed his own clothes, folding them and setting them neatly on the desk before joining Jim on the bed.

“I hope you don’t mind,” Jim said.

Spock gave him just the barest hint of a smile. “Not at all.”

Neither of them spoke as Spock raised his hands, fingers splaying across Jim’s face. They didn’t even need the words anymore to establish the connection. Within seconds, their breathing slowed and their heartbeats synchronized. The actual meld didn't last more than ten minutes, long enough for Spock to sort through the details of the mission and for Jim to reassure Spock that he was still here. The emotions that poured through the connection always humbled Jim, despite the fact that they had done this countless times over the years. Slowly, their minds untangled and the distance grew until they were two entities again.

Jim opened his eyes and smiled across at Spock. “Bed,” he said simply, reaching up to pull back the covers.

Spock nodded even as he crawled in next to Jim, scooting himself back until his back was flush with Jim’s chest, the skin-on-skin contact soothing his frayed nerves as much as the mind meld did. Arms wrapped around him and Jim sighed behind him. His own hands grasped over top of Jim’s.

Within minutes Jim was nearly asleep. As he drifted off, he smiled into Spock’s back. He knew that while technically they weren’t breaking any Starfleet rules by sharing a bed like this, the intimacy they shared through the mind melds that weren’t against policy, through even just the barest of touches now, was far greater than any they could achieve through physical intimacy. The last thing he heard as sleep took him was Spock’s own sigh of relief at having his Jim back.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos, comments, and/or constructive criticism always appreciated here or on my [Tumblr](http://yourdykeinshiningarmor.tumblr.com/).
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
